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Brazil vs Chile

While Brazil and Chile hail from the same continent, historically they have little in common. Separated by the natural barrier of Andes mountains, Chile could grow independently from influences from the other side of Andes. Brazil, as many would guess, is the stand out nation of the continent and not just on the football pitch. While most nations south of USA speak Spanish, Brazil stands apart speaking Portuguese.

The reason for the linguistic separation of Brazil has to do with a certain treaty of 1494.

The Iberian peninsula had just been recaptured by Catholic rulers from Muslims after an 800 year war called Reconquista*. Looking for newer avenues for conquest, Spain and Portugal were looking outside Europe. They started with Africa, dividing it up with the Treaty of Alcacovas , but when Columbus landed in the Caribbean, the situation changed. A new treaty, Treaty of Tordesillas, was drawn up which effectively gave the eastern bulge of South America to Portugal and the remaining part of America (including North America) to Spain. Of course, conquest had to happen. Without interference from other European powers, they went on their merry way and the Treaty got carried out for most part in South America.

Incidentally, Brazil for a brief time would host the capital and the crown of their colonial rulers, Portugal. But that story can wait for Brazil’s qualification to the next round.

*Three nations survived in Iberia – Castile, Aragon and Portugal. Castile and Aragon were in personal union with the Queen of Castile married to the King of Aragon. (Their daughter Joanna would be the first monarch of reunited Spain, although her powers were largely curtailed by her father, her husband and later her son, who confined her in a convent for being mentally ill.)